Colosseum could be history

While Pearson Television continues to sell both fall 2001 action hours Colosseum and Lean Angle, look for just one to go forward into syndication.

Joe Scotti, Pearson's domestic distribution president, indicated the studio will do one or the other, "and at some point we will make a decision," but didn't reveal whether the studio had a particular preference. Yet Lean Angle, headlined by Antonio Sabato Jr., could prove the better bet, with sources indicating international reception to it has been generally stronger than what it has been for Colosseum, starring Andrew Dice Clay.

Gaining international distribution is thought to be critical to action hours' survival because it helps off-set production costs. For Colosseum and Lean Angle, Scotti claimed U.S. clearances on both series, but declined to comment on specific station homes. - Susanne Ault